The new chic: civil unions? The French outgrow marriage

Ah, Paris. It's one of the most romantic cities in the world and also one of the most trend setting. So if the French are disillusioned with the concept of "happily ever after" and are giving up on the institution of marriage, will the world soon follow? Only 250,000 couples tied the knot in France in 2009, compared with 400,000 in 1970. The French in increasing numbers prefer to form civil unions rather than walk down the isle. There are now two civil unions, or pacte civil de solidarite, for every three marriages in France. Experts say the reasons for the cultural shift are varied: they offer many of the same benefits and if you change your mind, you can dissolve it with a just a registered letter, some say, "the notion of eternal marriage has grown obsolete," and others want to avoid the religious connotations. Whatever the reason, it is clear marriage is on the decline. Does Tiffany's have a registry for a civil union?